


Isla Nectar: Aftermath

by Your_New_Friend_Autumn



Series: Isla Nectar Outbreak [1]
Category: 28 Days Later (2002), Dead Island, Fallout (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fallout (Video Games) Setting, Desert Island Fic, Gen, Guns, Infected Characters, Military, Post-Apocalypse, Post-Nuclear War, Post-War, Zombie Apocalypse, fallout vault
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-25
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:21:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25514956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Your_New_Friend_Autumn/pseuds/Your_New_Friend_Autumn
Summary: 13 years after a nuclear bomb strikes an island in the mid-Atlantic, those who made it to the underground shelters emerge. The surface is now ridden with infected creatures and mutated manifestations of nightmarish beings. Before the bomb dropped, the island was experiencing what people could only call a zombie apocalypse. While many infected still remain, unfazed by the nuclear detonation, more dangerous things lurk in the dark shadows of the flattened capital. With no rescue in sight for the those still on the island after all this time, society has begun to spring up in the wasteland of the once tropical paradise. Is survival possible in such a hostile place? Or is the aftermath too much to handle...
Series: Isla Nectar Outbreak [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1848511





	1. Prelude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prelude documents the initial aftermath of the Isla Nectar viral outbreak after the island was nuked. These documents have no baring on the story and can be skipped. They are just to give a general sense of how deadly the DVS virus really is. 
> 
> Regardless, welcome to my passion project! The Isla Nectar Outbreak Series has been in development for 3 years and I finally have the courage to start releasing chapters from one of the books. Since Aftermath is my current work in progress and doesn't need to be reworked, I choose this one. Since it is a WIP keep in mind, there will be grammatical errors I missed. Please forgive these and enjoy this project regardless of it's flaws. Thank you for reading.
> 
> Love,   
> Autumn Newberry

EXPERIMENTAL TRANSCRIPT - ISLA NECTAR: THE AFTERMATH

FILE TRANSCRIPT: 1B - REVISED EDITION 3.0  
COPYRIGHT 2020 - PROTECTION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ACT 

BOOK 4: AFTERMATH (WORKING TITLE)  
AUTUMN NEWBERRY (PEN NAME)  
AFTERMATH IS AN INSTALLMENT IN THE ISLA NECTAR OUTBREAK FRANCHISE (SERIES)

The aftermath was swift, taking the world by storm. Below are many news reports and articles detailing the descent of humanity following the Isla Nectar Incident.

“Video evidence of this virus has been leaked by several people from the island. Those infected by the Deep Sea Virus turned to late-stage infection within seconds; an incubation rate never before seen by the CDC. Videos and news reports from INN show those infected, following late-stage infection, going insane and trying to maim other people. Often consuming the flesh of the people in the process. Bioqueda Police body cams, which will be played on screen now, show that the infected took several shots to bring down and were extremely violent. Those who were infected by the Deep Sea Virus often had skin that looked to have a thin layer of blood lying just underneath, eyes that were almost black in appearance, foam dripping from their mouths, and rotting flesh especially around the face. According to the United States Air Force, the island’s inhabitants have been evacuated and brought to Fort Enfermas for quarantine and observation. We are sad to report that most of the military, police, and government from Isla Nectar perished from the infection due to the speed and violent nature of the infected. Therefore, to prevent another outbreak, the USAF has nuked the island, bringing a stop to the virus.” (Euroviews, Isla Nectar Outbreak Report. 2036) [REPORT CONTAINS FALSE INFORMATION]

“Reports are coming in from the Candellen City Dockyard of a Greek Coast Guard ship from Isla Nectar that has crashed into the dock. Port authorities attempted to make contact with the speeding ship, but had no answer. Candellen Police and medical units have been dispatched to the Coast Guard ship to assess the situation. Fearing another outbreak, the CDC has sealed off the dockyard and are waiting for a response from CPD about the situation - wait hold on- we are getting new live coverage from our ground team that the military has been let in by the CDC after police officers’ radio contact was inexplicably severed. All workers from the dockyard have been told to stay put in the head office until an all clear order has been given from the CDC. We will bring you more news as it develops” (Candellen City Television News, Breaking News #21,029. 2036)

“The Candellen government has issued a state-of-emergency over the entire city as it has been confirmed that the CDC quarantine has failed and the dockyard district has been declared a black zone by the US military. Miraculously, the district has quickly been blocked off by the United States Military and evacuations are confirmed to be being held in all other districts. Unlike Isla Nectar where it was revealed that no real evacuations took place, the United States Army is guaranteeing a full-scale formal evacuation. The CDC has also confirmed that this is a resurgence of the Deep Sea Virus just months after the supposed eradication of it. Because of this, the CDC and the US government are under fire from critics for their ‘sloppy response’ to a new virus.” (Candellen City Television News, Candellen Outbreak News Update. 2036)

“Candellen City has fallen according to the local government and Police Chief Yohannan. The United State Military is mobilizing to fire bomb the city and then send in ground troops to clear out the rest of the city. The CDC stated twenty minutes ago in a press conference that the organization and the military are much more prepared to deal with this virus after the operations in Isla Nectar gave much needed information. Evacuations have been successful, leaving mostly infected in the city. However two evacuations were unsuccessful. These were located nearby the dockyard and were halted when the quarantine failed” (CNN, Candellen City DVS Outbreak. 2036)

“Candellen City has been confirmed to be virus-free and all military and police personnel have been placed under quarantine to ensure that they have not been infected. The city has been placed under a permanent quarantine by the United States Government. Virginia National Guard has volunteered to create a barrier around the city limits to guarantee an effective quarantine. The CDC has also begun testing on several specimens to find out the origins of the virus. According to Director Mandova, the Isla Nectar Department of Disease Control (DDC) was able to create a vaccine, but the documents explaining the make-up have been lost in the nuclear explosion. The DDC was able to send out electronic information on the virus to the UN Meridian Warship before communications were cut by the United Nations. This information has finally been sent to the CDC revealing that the virus, and you are hearing this right, is carried by water. Unfortunately, no such mention of the vaccine was present in the data transfer.” (CNN, Candellen City DVS Outbreak Update. 2036) 

“Military on the ground in Harock City are claiming that the virus came from the water supply, but they can’t be sure. The Harock City local government has been claiming that it is in fact likely to be the water supply as the CDC has announced today that the Deep Sea Virus is spread through the water. The Harock City Military is currently attempting an eradication mission due to the fact that quarantining the area is impossible at this point.” (HCN, Harock City Outbreak Announcement. 2036)

“The French Navy has finally arrived on the island of Fangatau. Small amounts of information have been leaking out from people on the island of a potential DSV outbreak. The CDC has sent an experimental cure with the French Navy to test when they reach the island. The world waits to see the result.” (BBC, Fangatau Incident. 2036)

“The French Government has released satellite imagery of the island. The imagery shows towns destroyed by what is now confirmed as a resurgence of the Deep Sea Virus. It has also shown four commercial planes at the airport. One that is hooked up to a terminal. It is unclear if these planes were Fangatau government’s attempts at an evacuation. The government had sent a plane to investigate with seven soldiers and a politician, but all those on board are presumed dead. In response, the French Navy has been dispatched to the island with a potential cure on board.” (MSNBC, Mystery of Fangatau Island. 2036)

“Following the clean up of the Fangatau outbreak, the French Government has confirmed that the cure is ineffective. This news has spread mass panic across the world. With no cure or vaccine in existence, people are beginning to prepare for a total collapse of society. World governments and the United Nations are meeting to develop action plans for a world-wide pandemic and rumors are being spread that a government bunker is being constructed in Norway for the highest levels of government to take refuge.” (BBC, New Resurgence in Pacific. 2036)

“Global chaos strikes the world’s capitals as citizens demand something be done about the DSV outbreaks, rocking the political landscape. The US government continues to reassure the population that the CDC is in the works of creating a cure and that the US government has everything under control. Multiple fail safes have been installed and government surveillance agencies are tracking any potentially infected individual. In the meantime, bottled water rationing and careful surveillance of freshwater lakes are our biggest defenses against this new virus.” (CNN, World News Update. 2037) 

“British parliament is reminding citizens that protesting will not help DSV preparedness and will only slow down the government’s efforts to fortify the UK and ensure that it will survive a DSV outbreak. PM George Manchester went on the record stating, “we’ve seen the news too -news of the United State’s protests- and it’s honestly disgusting. The people act like we don’t have this under control. The UK has seen worse viral and biological disasters. DSV is just another mark on the list” (BBC, News Update at 3 o’ Clock. 2037.)


	2. The Shelter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the Banko Shelter. It won't be around much longer.

It had been thirteen years since the shelters closed. When the infection initially broke out on the island of Isla Nectar, there wasn’t any chance of escaping for those trapped on it’s shores. Hope was all but lost until suddenly, a not-so unexpected thing happened that would forever change the future of the island itself. The nuclear strike warning sirens went off. You see, the island was equipped for a nuclear strike ever since the dirt was dumped into the ocean to make the island in the first place. It had to be nuclear-resistant since it was so vital to international markets and, essentially, the economic hub of the world. When the sirens went off, those who were still alive during the viral outbreak, went for the subway shelters. There were many of them dotted over the city and some sparsely placed in the rest of the island. 

Luckily, those who made it to the outer-city shelters were saved from both the virus and the bomb. Those in Central Bioqueda, they weren’t so lucky. Those who were partially infected fled to the bomb shelters too. When the shelters were sealed, there was no escape for those inside. It was a bloodbath.

I, however, was lucky. 

My memory is still a bit foggy since the chaos was disorienting, but I’ll attempt to recall it as much as possible. I was awoken in the middle of the night by my friends from my school. Before I had a chance to react they started screaming that a virus had broken out on the island while I was asleep and that a bomb was coming. They had heard rumors of it from the military set up outside the school dorms. I couldn’t believe it at first, being just woken up I thought it was a prank until I heard the noises from my window. The screams, moans, gunfire, and the droning sirens. I put on some clothes, grabbed my phone and wallet, and left as quickly as possible. 

I was following my friends out the apartment lobby when I was hit with a horrid smell. I looked over to see a corpse leaning against the outside brick wall. Looking the other way I saw that trucks and police cars were zooming past us towards an intersection. The intersection was a three-way. Two roads were blocked off by military trucks and a helicopter hovering just above. The side without a road was a large hill with a metro tunnel carved into it. Men outside the entrance were using mounted machine guns, firing into the streets at what looked like people in the darkness. 

I had no time to think, my friends pulled me towards the military barricade and I heard a loud speaker barking out instructions as I approached. From what I remember, the speaker was saying, “please remain calm and head to the shelter in an orderly manner, we have enough time to get everyone inside. The military is here to help, they are your friends. Attacking them will result in expulsion from the shelter.” 

When I got closer, the soldiers surrounding the metro entrance waved me and my friends over. Beside them were several tables containing a variety of ammunition, medical supplies, and scientific testing equipment. One of the men grabbed my arms and started looking them over. Quickly turning me around and checking all exposed skin. Then they grabbed my friends and did the same. Finally he nodded and began to escort me and several others down into the subway. 

Dozens of survivors surrounded me. Panic smeared across their faces. Some were whispering frantically, others were on their phones, and some were simply crying. At the bottom of the stairs, the metro station was covered in military hardware and boxes of supplies. Three soldiers were pushing them into a garage door. A blue door was just next to it. A police officer hurried my group over, unlocked the door and pointed to the far exit. We all rushed through the hall and into a large room with a giant, circular steel door. The words ‘Banko Nuclear Shelter’ were written on it in large white lettering. 

A soldier to my right shouted out to the crowd ‘one minute left.’ He walked over to a standing panel that was to the right of the large, steel door. He pushed a few buttons and a split appeared horizontally in the center of the door. The two sections of the door retreated into the ceiling and the floor. By now, the room was filled with survivors. They all ran for the door. I was pushed around, knocked into by the screaming crowd. By the time I could get my bearings, they were inside and the door was sliding shut. I spirited towards it, a soldier on the other side held out his hand screaming for me to hurry. Sweat broke on my forehead and panic made my knees weak. I wouldn’t make it, I thought. The soldier shook his head, ducked out, grabbed me and pushed me inside as the door sealed shut, leaving him outside. As the door sealed, so did my and his fate. Over the next thirteen years, the door remained shut. 

Since the closing, the shelter has undergone some major redecoration. Many of the survivors overhauled their quarters to seem more like home. These days, it’s almost like a mini city. Those inside this city seem to not really care that they're trapped underground. I guess it’s better than what’s on the surface -from what people have heard.   
About three weeks ago, a search party tried to go through a maintenance tunnel connecting to one of the pre-bomb subway tunnels, but they never returned. The communications office said that they got lost, but I have a friend who works there. They said that they were attacked by some kind of mutant. I don’t think I can believe that, but if it is true...I don’t think I want to go to the surface or even outside this shelter. 

Sadly, I didn’t have a choice though. Yesterday, our shelter was found in the metro by the mutants. The Chief Guardian had seen it coming. He foresaw that one day the mutants of the surface would find the metro shelter and attack. We’d known for years that the bombs caused animals on the surface to mutate. Our biggest exposure to the mutant horrors on the surface were just the bugs we found in the tunnels. The most common was the Super Slug. A giant blob of slimy goo. Thankfully, they’re passive creatures. 

The attack started at the entrance to the tunnel. It began as a loud banging and eventually sounded like a body smashing into the door. Then hours later, it sounded like hundreds of bodies hitting the door. The shelter security mobilized and sealed off the entrance room. The Chief Guardian ordered that everyone go to the lower level where there was a tunnel dug for emergencies. We didn’t have time though. Soldiers were pushing supplies into the elevator when the door broke open.   
The mutants looked like dogs that had been butchered improperly by someone with shaky hands. Bones jutted out from their bodies and their legs bent the wrong way. The face split in the middle, revealing two mouths full of teeth. 

I was by the elevator when they fell from the air filtration vents. One fell down into the hallway just twenty feet from me and two soldiers. It immediately leapt onto a woman who had opened her door to see what the noise was. Her head was ripped clean from her neck and stuffed into the two mouths of the creature. The woman’s hands, almost acting on reflex, reached to her neck that was spewing blood coating her palms. As she did, her knees buckled and she fell to the hallway floor. When the body hit the tile, blood splattered across the walls. The creature, not noticing us, fell with the body as it clung by it’s claws into her back. The creature started to feast on the back flesh of the woman, ripping the spine out as it was caught on the teeth of the monstrous head. As it continued to feast, the shrill scream erupted from an adjacent hallway to the elevator entrance. Looking down the hall I saw a young child running from another galloping creature. She didn’t make it far. In response to her scream, the entire shelter was alright with screeches of horror, pain, and fear. 

The lights died almost instantly and emergency lights turned on. Phasing in and out with it’s red hue. Gunfire rang through the halls as I felt someone crash into me. It was a man dressed in a hospital lab coat. 

“Help me! For the love of the great one above help me!!” the man screamed into my face. His foul smelling spit flew onto me as I dug my hands into his chest and pushed him off of me, right into a creature which bit into his torso, severing him in half. I ran down the hallway to my left to escape it. I heard the bones crunch behind me as the creature began eating the man as fast as it could. Smacking and squishing sounds emitted from it’s mouth as it tore the body apart.

The red lights lit my way as I neared the entertainment room next to the gym. The hallway window was broken in and I turned my head to the room as I ran past. The lights faded back in and I saw a pool table knocked over and one half of a body draped over it. A few other bodies were inside but I couldn’t see them as the light faded out again.   
I neared the gym but ran past towards the pool. I could hear the creature running down the hall behind me. I knew the door to the pool could be closed and locked. I ducked inside, pressed my hand onto the button next to the door and the metal slid shut, sealing myself inside the pool. 

As I tried to catch my breath, gasping air in through my mouth, a disgusting rotten taste hit my tongue. I breathed through my nose and an additional smell of rust hit my nostrils. I turned around and saw to my unending horror that the pool had turned red with body parts. Floating on the surface were dismembered and mutilated bodies. Blood coated the tiles around the pool and a blood trail led from the edge of the far side of the pool to the men’s locker room. I looked around but I couldn’t see the creature that caused this. I just knew if it was inside the pool center with me, I just sealed us both in. 

I took a few steps towards the back of the room and the far side of the pool and immediately almost slipped on a puddle of blood. Immediately becoming more careful, I started to walk quietly forward towards the pool’s office where I could find a map of the center. As I neared half the distance of the pool I heard a bang erupt from the men’s locker room. I started rushing towards the office. As I neared the aquamarine-colored steel door I heard another loud bang followed by the tearing of metal coming from the men’s locker room. With panic sinking it’s claws into my heart, I scrambled inside the office and acting purely on adrenaline, slammed the door behind me with violently shaking hands. 

I breathed a shaky sigh of relief and looked inside the office. Inside was a desk, a water cooler, a map on the wall, and a locker next to the desk. There was a private bathroom for the pool manager on the opposite wall that I was pushed up against trying to catch my breath. A bloodied hand print was smeared on the door and the handle. I immediately went to the map and noticed that there was indeed a way out. In fact, there was a maintenance room connected to the men’s locker room with an air-intake duct that led directly to the exit. My heart then dropped into my feet. If I wanted to escape, I had to go into the men’s locker room to access the maintenance room. If I was quick, I could just get straight into the room and shut the door. Then I thought, what about keys?

I walked over to the desk and frantically pulled out a drawer. Then another. Then one more before I heard a beep emit from outside and across the pool room. A scream soon followed. I looked through the office window and saw that the door to the pool room had been opened and a girl, no older than 20 was on the floor. One of the mutants was playing tug-of-war with her arm. I started rushing, throwing papers and folders around until I saw a key chain at the bottom of a drawer. I clipped it onto the belt that held up my shelter overalls and went for the door. I opened it up to see the pool door still open and this time a man was being dragged away from it as he screamed. I screamed, just a little. 

Quickly, I side stepped my way to the door to the boy’s locker room, not daring to take my eyes from the pool door and the mutant that was ripping apart the still grunting girl. Her grunts were just a reflex as the shock was taking over her mind. 

As I neared the door, I placed the palm of my hand against the metal square that was bolted into the swinging wood frame. I took a moment and listened. It was dead-silent. I pushed the door and noticed the room was completely empty. I remembered that the maintenance room was directly left of the small hallway that connected to the main door. I took a shaky breath and entered, the door silently whooshing past me, wobbling and falling into place. 

I took a few shaky steps forwards and my foot immediately squished on what I think was a mutilated hand. I closed my eyes, swallowed, and continued. Feeling my foot around to find the tile once again. The air was thick with a disgusting stench and the suspense of waiting for a sound or a growl that meant the end of my life. I got that sound in the form of a clicking, gasping breath. It sounded mildly human, but I couldn’t be sure. 

I took a few more steps inside and went to turn left. Instead I smacked into the hallway wall. I breathed deeply as I heard a small growl from deep inside the locker room. I then went into panic mode, rushing inside and sliding on a puddle until I was directly in front of a door. I felt around for the handle as I heard a loud shrill growl behind me and the sound of claws on the gritty tile of the locker room. I found the handle and pushed my index finger on the knob trying to find the lock. I reached for the key chain and unclipped it from my belt. Sweat was streaming down my forehead and I could feel pee escape into my underpants. Behind me the screeches got closer and I ducked aside as I heard a loud thump next to me. The creature had slammed into the wall next to the door. I could feel the heat radiating off it’s body and a smell I couldn’t place wafted from it’s mouth.   
I reached for the knob and yanked on it. Without any resistance, the door pulled open. It wasn’t even locked. I ducked inside as I felt the creature scamper after me. I pulled the door shut and felt it stop abruptly on something. There was a dim light in the maintenance room cast from the back wall and in the dim light I could see one of the creature’s mouths jammed in the door. It’s silver-colored tongue forcefully pushing outwards towards my foot. I pulled on the door again, but the mouth didn’t budge. In fear my body was telling me to run but instead I looked at the shelf next to me and saw a large section of pipe used to repair the filtration intake on the pool filter. I grabbed the pipe in my free hand and slammed it down on the creature’s mouth. Teeth cracked with a quiet snap and a loud squish sound filled the room. I threw the pipe down again and with another loud crack, the mouth fell forward, attached by a large muscle. I then took my boot and stopped it down, severing the muscle and freeing the door. With a loud slam it closed. The creature went to work clawing and growling on the other side of the door. 

I wasted no time, running to the back of the room past shelves of tools, gear, and a humming water filter in the middle of the room. Surrounding the filter was a slim square of glowing pool water. It was blue. 

On the back wall there was a black cap with large slits in it. I grabbed it and pulled on it. With a loud whoosh it popped off and came tumbling out of my hand and with a loud plastic sounding clack, it hit the concrete floor. I could feel the air being sucked in with my hand. The open hole was above me so I looked to the shelf to find something I could stand on. Finding a suitable large tool kit comprised of multiple layers of drawers. I pulled it from the shelf and slapped it on the ground underneath the hole. Quickly I took a step up and placed my hands on the metal vent interior of the hole. The metal was cold with the constant air. I pulled myself up and into the hole. As my middle passed into the vent I realized I was just big enough to fit. So it took a few minutes to pull myself along. When I was half way down the vent I heard the door of the maintenance room break in a loud crack. The snarls of the creature echoed through the vent as it tried to find what was inside. I thought it wouldn’t be able to reach the vent until I heard the sound of sniffing from behind me. I paused, staying still. My arms were shaking and weak and I felt like just giving up. Then, against my initial judgement, the creature gave up, turned around and left for more food. 

After an hour I found the intake part of the vent. I could see a bright white light on the other side and could feel moving air for once. There was another black cap that took several punches before it fell out. 

I fell clumsily from the vent and landed on my side onto a metal platform. I lifted my head and looked around. I was inside a strange long room. Benches were lined up almost sporadically. On my right was a drop where a bunch of metal rods were laid down onto rough ground. They extended outward each way into huge tunnels. There was a blue door to my right that was buckled inwards. A plaque was placed on the wall next to it. It said ‘Restricted Area’. On the other wall to my left was a set of stairs leading up and out of sight. I looked through the collapsed blue door and saw a tunnel leading onward fifty meters. The tunnel was lined with cords, pipes, and a metal walkway. On the wall next to the door, written in white block letters was ‘Banko Shelter’. I withdrew my head from the tunnel and took another look around. This must have been the subway. Now it was covered in vines and grass that had broken through the cracked tile. It has been thirteen years since I’ve seen anything from the surface. If I didn’t just escape a mutant attack, I might have shed a tear. I left the surface when I was only thirteen. My parents weren’t home when the outbreak happened. I don’t think they made it. 

This was it, I thought as I looked around the dim subway station. Now was my time to shine.


	3. The Surface

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to Isla Nectar, or what's left of it.

My escape happened only yesterday. I didn’t make it out of the station. The stairs opened up into a platform with turnstiles that took a few kicks to move. On the other side was an open area with more benches and a pull-down shutter gate that was closed. The stairs behind it were illuminated in a dim light I remembered to be the moon. There was a door to my left. Beside it was a counter with a shutter pulled down over it. The door had the words ‘staff only’ on it. I walked over to be surprised by how easy it was to break it in. The wood splintered immediately. Most likely from the leaking water that cascaded like rain from the pipe just above the door. Inside was a small room. Where the counter was, there was a desk and a chair. The desk had a pile of ashes on it. In the room besides the counter was a filing cabinet and a sleeping bag. Next to it was a backpack. There was a book beside it. I picked up the book and felt the leather in my hand. It was almost orgasmic. The feeling of something familiar from the surface took me back and I felt tears fall from my eyes. I opened it to the last entry that was dated two weeks ago. I feared the worst. I looked around and saw no evidence that the surface human had returned in that time. I took the gracious gift with happiness and went to work unzipping the backpack. It was empty aside from another notebook, a metal cylinder, and a map. With no food and night over me, I shook the sleeping back free of dust and settled in to sleep. I felt safe enough until I realized what I did to the door. I then pulled the desk chair back, placed the sleeping back under the counter and went to sleep. 

I awoke to the sound of birds chirping on the other side of the gate. My eyes were heavy and for a moment I had forgotten that I was finally on the surface again. Back in the shelter, there were speakers positioned above the bed that would play birds chirping as a form of alarm. I looked around and was confused by the underside of the counter before I clued in to what I was looking at. I sat up in the sleeping bag, slouched just a bit to avoid hitting my head. I could smell the scent of must and the dirty sleeping bag. I had to even brush a dirt smear off my light blue overalls. The overalls were given to me when I had immediately arrived at the shelter. They had two letters stitched into the breast pocket: BS. It stood for Banko Shelter. That was the name of my shelter. The overalls were zip up until they reached the waist. There was a belt that could be tightened to secure the waist and the bottoms. The bottoms were connected to the top, it was all one suit. I wiggled my toes in my boots and as I started to push off the sleeping bag I felt the cold sweat on my undershirt. I could also smell the pee from my underwear. Then I smelt the blood. Roughly on my left side of my stomach was a blood stain. I placed my hand on it and immediately winced. It hurt like a cut would. 

I kicked off the sleeping bag and grabbed the backpack as I slid out from under the counter. I knew I couldn’t stay here so I investigated the office more. That’s when I noticed the electrical panel next to the door. My back was to it when I entered the room. On it were five buttons. One of them was a faded green one with the word ‘Open’ on it. I didn’t know if any electricity was getting to it but I tried it anyway in case the shelter was connected to the subway. There was a big light in the subway that was shining so I assumed so. I pressed it and heard a loud grinding coming from the gate in front of the exit stairs. It started to roll up until it jammed just halfway up. I sighed in relief and walked over. Ducking down to avoid hitting my head. I found myself on the other side of the gate. Basking in sunlight coming from the top of the stairs. The sun was beautiful. The light warmed up my skin and glowed on my face. I stood for a minute and just breathed in the air and enjoyed the sun for the first time in years. I couldn’t believe how good it felt. 

I ascended the stairs and was met with a brightly lit street. Rusted police cars and armoured vehicles were encircling the entrance to the metro tunnel. Glass is missing from the windows of most of them. From my view I saw partially collapsed apartment buildings behind the barricade. I looked around at the barricade itself. One police car was smashed up against the archway above the metro station entrance. Curiously I looked at the logo on the car door. Half of the logo was burned off. It read ‘ty Police Department’ in a semi circle around half of a star surrounded by a circle with two objects on the outer part of the circle. A scale and a book.

The police car was contorted just right that it actually supported the crumbling archway. I took a few steps forward on the cracked sidewalk and looked up. A vine had grown over the archway but I could make out the word ‘metro’ written in red block letters. There was another logo next to it that looked like a rail track with the letters ITN highlighted. 

Looking back to the street I took a deep breath. The air was thick with moisture and the smell of summer grass and soil. I closed my eyes as I savored the smell. I was lost in the moment for a second before the thought ‘what now’ popped into my brain. It was a thought I had not considered until now. I couldn’t go back to the shelter no matter what. I don’t think anyone escaped but me so there wouldn’t be any reason to go back either. I don’t know much about the surface. Being down underground at such an early age made me forget much of what I remembered about it. I know we’re on an island. Somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The shelter is underneath the financial district of the island’s capital city. Down in the shelter when I went to school they only referred to the city as ‘The Capital’. I doubt those who were teaching were qualified to do so. 

I raised my eyes from the crumbling apartment buildings and saw towering glass boxes behind them. Some were broken towards the middle and others were just a pile of concrete and broken windows. The ones still standing were covered in vegetation much like the apartment buildings in front of them. They look more like living rectangles of vines than buildings. As I was admiring the glass giants I saw a group of birds fly above me. Seeing them reminded me that I was just as free as them. Sure there were horrible mutant creatures in this city with me, but if I’m careful, I can be free to do anything. 

A feeling grew in my chest. A feeling of pride and hope. I took a step forward and felt something lumpy under my boots. I looked down and saw a pistol. It didn’t look that different from the shelter security. I reached down and picked it up. The grip was fuzzy with rust. It looked brutal in its shape. It also felt heavy in my hand. I had always assumed that it would be lighter. I didn’t think it still worked, but I jammed it in between my belt and my stomach. If it doesn’t work, I could always use it for parts. 

Walking past the police cars I was finally in the street. Several dozen skeletons were in the street near the police barricade. The block was lined with cars as well stretching as far as I could see down the street. On each side of the road there stood apartment buildings and divided homes all of them were coated in vines and bushes. The dilapidated structure of some causing the roof to cave in or the entire building to collapse. I knew I couldn’t stay here so I shifted my eyes down the street and immediately recognized the golden orange color of my old apartment building. The entire structure sagged into a ‘U’ shape with the middle part missing a floor due to the cave in. I think my apartment was okay so I began walking down the street towards it. 

There was hardly any noise in the neighborhood besides the birds chirping. It was a little too quiet. Down in the shelter we would get audio files from neighboring shelters in the city. It was part of a pre-sealing system to keep each shelter informed of any issues. It was also to be used to broadcast the ‘all-clear’ signal. A few audio files were leaked from the shelter offices to the people. The audio was reports from the shelters of looting parties going onto the surface and encountering nightmarish creatures. Many people in the looting parties were ripped apart or turning into goo by these creatures. Looking around me now, I didn’t see anything else here but me. Still, I could feel myself duck lower and step a little more quietly as I neared the door to the old apartment building. 

The glass front doors were missing. The door frames have partially collapsed in on themselves causing the metal surrounding the glass to fall out onto the pavement path leading to the doors. I could already smell the mold before I even stepped into the lobby. There were several bushes growing inside the room and vines clung to wet-looking couches and chairs. A counter to my right had mushrooms growing from the wood. Letters were hung on the small piece of wall residing above the counter. Only the letters ‘C, E, P, T, I’ were left. Not sure what that means. 

The stairs leading up were collapsed and bits of concrete and wood blocked the path. There was an elevator next to it. The doors were sealed shut. I was about to give up before I remembered there was a fire escape next to the building that led up to where my old apartment was. 

Heading outside I turned my head to the left and saw something moving in the distance. It was hard to make out, but was close to the entrance of the metro station. Memories of the audio files flashed through my mind and in a moment of panic I sprinted around the corner of the building and almost slammed into the metal stairs. I looked up and saw that the steel looked fine. I took a few steps up and heard the entire set of stairs shift and creak. 

Carefully, I took small steps as I ascended the stairs to the third floor. Now I was facing a small window. The window was coated in a thick layer of dust and grime. Taking the sleeve of my overalls in hand, I wiped away a bit of the dirt. Looking inside I saw an empty hallway. In the distance, the above floor had collapsed and fallen onto the hallway floor, blocking the rest of the corridor. I noticed that the window didn’t have a handle. This was probably for obvious reasons. I looked around and saw a loose bar on the guardrails. Gripping it tightly in my right hand I yanked up and the bar snapped off like a twig. I then used the momentum to throw it through the window. 

Climbing inside, I made sure not to cut myself on the shards of glass. Immediately, once I was inside, the smell of something familiar hit my nose. It was something they smelled near the shelter hospital on their way to the classroom. 

Making my way through the hallway I heard crunching from the wood beneath me. I held my breath thinking that the next step could be my undoing. Without incident though, I managed to reach what I remembered to be my old apartment. 

I reached for the handle and rotated it. With a loud audible creek, the door quietly pushed open. Inside the room, beams of light struggled to push through the tattered curtains. The entryway that led into the kitchen looked just like I remembered. Except with a lot more peeling paint. I sighed as I looked over the hung pictures that were faded or burned from the heat given off by the nuclear explosion that struck the island so many years ago. The living room looked much worse than the entryway, the old furniture was scorched and the wooden floor was all but blackened. The room to my right was the first one I entered. It was the old kitchen. 

I had a quick flashback to making sushi in this kitchen. Tenderly rolling the seaweed over the fillings. The same counter I had used for this was cracked and parts had chipped away from time and moisture. I approached the fridge silently and opened it up. The smell of rotten food was unexpectedly absent. The containers and jugs practically empty from the bacteria that ate away at it. I picked up a can of soda. 

Cracking it open it still fizzed. I took a small sniff and decided it was safe to drink, took a sip. The taste of soda hitting my tongue sent a wave of bliss down my spine. I cracked a smile for the first time since leaving the shelter. Setting down the can, I opened the freezer next. It was empty of anything besides a tray of water where ice cubes once were. 

I started opening up the cabinets but found nothing edible. It didn’t look good for me. I thought back to the food from the shelter. The baked rolls stuffed with canned meat and the endless bowls of soup. I felt a rumble in my stomach and realized just how much I needed food. 

Taking the can of soda, I left the room. Crossing the entryway into the bathroom. Water had long stopped on the island and what water was left would be irradiated. Still, I took no time to think about that. Sticking my head under the sink faucet, I turned on the tap. Warm, almost hot water ran out. I let the water go for a few seconds before drinking the last of what drained out of the pipes. Satisfied, I unzipped my backpack and opened the medicine cabinet. Stuffing my pack with a half-used tube of toothpaste, a toothbrush, a box of adhesive bandages, and a bottle of hydrogen peroxide. The date was far past expired. 

I took a minute to relieve myself before wandering back into the living room. Standing inside of it, I couldn’t help but be angry with myself for not being nostalgic. Maybe it was because the furniture and TV were burned beyond recognition. 

I lastly went into my bedroom but noticed the door was locked. I took a step back and kicked it. With surprising ease, it shot open and slammed against the wall. The smell I had detected earlier was even stronger now. Looking across the room to the bed, I saw something underneath the covers. Taking my half full can of soda, I threw it at the mass. It made no reaction when the can slammed into it. I stepped inside and cautiously got closer. Plugging my nose as I did. Yanking the covers back I almost threw up. 

Seemingly fused to the bed was the rotting corpse of an older man. His skin had somehow melted to the bed and his face’s flesh barely clung to his skull. I noticed a duffle bag next to the bed. It appeared that the old man had taken refuge in my old apartment. It’s hard to tell what happened to him. I knelt down and unzipped the bag. Inside was a pile of clothing. They were all dirty. Underneath were two packages of ramen noodles and a can of lunch meat. The can of lunch meat had a small key that could be used to open it. I took them all and shoved them in my backpack. There were a few comic books in here as well. I tossed them aside and my eyes immediately shot open. Underneath was a small handgun. 

I gingerly placed my hand over it and felt the cold metal in my grip. It wasn’t like I hadn’t had fun before. There was a firing range in the lower floor of the entertainment room. Still, this was the first gun from the surface I had seen. It was rusted and old. A word was carved into the side just below the safety switch. The word was ‘October’. 

I shoved the gun into my backpack and stood up, walking over to my dresser. The inside of the dresser was full of old clothing. I set everything I had on me and started to strip. Pulling off my shelter suit like I would have down before bed. It still smelled like pee. Stuffing it into my backpack, I stood for a second and felt the under filtered air hit my body. It was warm and somehow gritty. Very different from the air in the shelter. I reached inside and pulled out a raglan-style shirt that was black with dark blue sleeves. Next I pulled out some black jeans and some comfortable underwear. I realized then that I hadn’t washed myself since yesterday. Still naked, I took my clothing and went to the bathroom. Being careful with the shower water, I splashed it on myself and used the old and gunky bar of soap stuck to my old sink to wash the trouble areas. I was careful around the large gash on my side. When it was clean I used a few of the bandages to plaster over it. Anything to prevent infection. Then I pulled the clothing on. It felt good, much better than my old jumpsuit. The cotton half-sleeves brushed against my arms and sent a shiver of bliss through my body. I took a look at myself in the cracked mirror attached to the medicine cabinet. It was the last time I’d see myself for a while. 

Stepping out into the bright sun I was once again outdoors. I had pulled the map from my backpack and was looking over it. The map was old and the colors were slowly fading. There was a legend at the top corner right under the words ‘Bioqueda City.’ Glancing over it, it wasn’t long before I recognized the street I was on. I was just outside the financial district of the city. Nearby the subway entrance I had emerged from were many buildings marked out with an ‘x’. Likely places the previous owner had looted. I decided to avoid these buildings and head south towards Pacawan Bay. 

The street was cluttered with bones and papers. Rusted out cars going every which direction littered the streets. Many of the buildings I passed were either boarded up, collapsing, or already collapsed. Many of the signs on the buildings were still readable. Cafe’s, stores, offices. They all lined the street. Returning to the junction where the subway was, I continued past. My sights set on the large dome looking building just ahead on the horizon. The street was somewhat elevated over parts of the city and through the rubble and skyscrapers, I could see glimpses of the water of Pacawan Bay. It shined invitingly and beautifully in the noon sun. 

Passing by a rather large office building I heard a moan from inside. Looking at the glass, it was too dirty to see inside. I went to keep walking, but heard almost a scream from inside. Almost as if it were ringing the dinner bell, several half-rotten corpses came from all nooks, allies, and crannies around me. Many of them were almost nude, their clothing rotten off long ago. They let out screams, moans, and growls reminding me of a dog. 

I took off running, seeing that the creatures were faster than they looked. Trying not to trip on broken concrete, bottles, or shards of glass. I continued my dash down the sidewalk. Passing my buildings and soon only offices as I neared the large domed building. The creatures still in hot pursuit, I had little time to take in my surroundings. I made note of only a few things as I ran closer to the structure. What looks like military tanks surrounded one of the entrances. Collapsed wooden barricades and sandbag piles were haphazardly placed near the archway connecting to a tunnel-ish structure. As I bolted past the tanks I saw many of the near-fully-rotten soldiers were untouched and their guns were still in their hands. The tunnel-ish structure was built over top of a sunken road that led into an underground passage next to the structure. Posters and signs littered the tunnel but so did several barricades alternating sides. They were taped with black and yellow markings and the first one had a sign. It read ‘Evacuation This Way’. 

I looked back only to see the creatures getting closer, unfazed by the barricades. Bodies littered the other sides of them, but I took no time to look. At the end of the tunnel I saw a gate, cracked a jar. Another sign was hung on the other side. I could barely read it through the gate’s bars but I could tell it said ‘We’re gone’. 

Practically sliding through the open gate, I slammed it shut behind me. Frantically looking around I saw an abandoned rifle next to me. Holding it through the bars I pulled the trigger as quickly as I could, but nothing happened. Deciding to just shove the gun between the handles of the gate, I barely managed to hop back before the creatures slammed into the gates. Still, the gates held shut. 

For a brief moment. I was safe.


	4. Chapter 4: The Stadium

Coming soon! Thank you for reading this. Books 1-3 of the series need to be reworked before they are released, so I am posting my latest one as it is written. I hope you enjoy this story. It's been a pleasure to write and make it come to life. The Isla Nectar Outbreak series has been three years in the making and it has been a wonderful passion project of mine. Since the story is a WIP, it will likely have a few grammar errors. I hope you can forgive this and enjoy Isla Nectar: Aftermath regardless! 

-Autumn


End file.
